Shock absorber



NOV. 28, i933- F. s. RIPPINGILLE 1,937,353

SHOCK ABS ORBER Filed Oct. 25, 1932 2 SheetS--Shee'lI l Fiyi. 4V, I6

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1933 v SHOCKABSQRBER l FrankSidebotham Ripping'ille, v.Birmingnam,-

England,`assignor of one-half to GuyLloyd l Horton, Birmingham, England;v

Application October 25, 1932, Serial .No.'639,420,

andin Great Britain October 29,1931

This invention relates to shock vabsorbers or vibration dampersfor useon motor -vehicles4 or forV other purposes, the -said shock absorbers orvibrationdampers being-of the fluid-friction'type comprising areciprocating piston Working in a vfluid-containing cylinder andoperated from a rock-shaft by an external angularly-movable arm so asAto force the ,iiuidthrough' restricted passages` or apertures in orderto give the desired damping action.

One'ofv the `-objects of .the .inventionis to provide asimplebuteiiicient construction of shock absorber which `adrnits of 4beingreadily and cheaply manufactured andl easily assembled; which comprisesa minimum -of lseparate parts; 'and in whichposs-ibility Vof leakageofrfluid is reduced to a minimum.

Another object is to provide simplified means for progressivelycushioning the .piston at one end of its free or return stroke inorderto exert a controlling'action on the vehicle wheel or like part towardsthe end of the unresisted movement of the said part. f v

Figure l of the accompanying drawings'is a longitudinal Yverticalsection through a shock absorber for .a motor vehiclein accordance Withthe present4 invention, the piston .being shown in its mid position.v vy Figure 2 is Vasimilar view showing the piston at the righthand end kofits stroke.

FigureA 3 isY a horizontal section through the Shock absorber. Y. f a

. Figure 4represents atransverse section on line 4-4',.Figure l. .Y i VFigure 5 is an end viewof thel piston with the plate valve removed. v

Figure =6 is a side vieWA of the piston. Figure 7 is .a plan-of thepiston.

',The shock absorber for use on a motor vehicle, as shown in the abovedrawings, comprises a horizontal cylinder l containing n. areciprocating piston'2 and adapted to be lledwith a suitable fluid. Thesaid cylinder may consist of a casting, o'r a combination tube andcasting, or a stamping, and has oneend 8 permanently closed, this Yendbeing integral with the bodywalls, while the f opposite end is openbutis adaptedto be closed by a screwed-on cap or plate 4 which is fitted inplaceafter the piston has been inserted into the cylinder through thesaid open end. The -said cylinder l is formed mid-way along its top'wall' withY an upwardly projecting housing or chamber 5 which isintegral with the Wallof the cylinder and the interiorjoi. which isopen'to the interiorof the cylinder. The usaid-housing or chamber .5

constitutes a low pressure reserve uid chamwhichthepiston--is-operated.For this latterpur- -poseone sideof the housingis solid or .unaperturedA(see Figure 4) but is provided with a Abear- Vber, and containsatransverse rock-shaft 6 fromV Y ing recess '7 in its 'inner face VVtosupport one end of the roc-lesbain which latter kextends Aacross the`housing and 'out to the exterior through a .sleeve `bearing extensionaat the oppositeside of the housing and is fitted with a packing 6alocated in a circumferential groove The projecting endof the 'shaft v6has xed ,to it an operatinga-rr-n 9 vadapted to be connected to thevehicle axle if the cylinder is xed to :the vehicle body,

or vice-versa. VThe piston 2 within the cylinder has `a centralverticalslot 10W-nich always remains in `communication with therock-shaft housing 5; and pivotally mounted in the sides of the pistonso as to cross thefslot 10'is a gudgeon pin 11 having a transverse hole12. rIhe gudgeon pin is. operatively connected to the ,rock-shaft 6 bymeans of an arm l1 3 iixed tightly at its upper Vend (which may betapered) in altransverse hole 14V in the rock-shaft -6 and whose lowerend has a slid-ingiit inthe hole 12 theegudgeon pin. ,80

To enable Vthe said armk to be fitted after assembly of `the pistonvandrock-shaft, an aperture 15 is providedin the topof the rock-shafthousing through which the said arm l13-Acan ybe inserted and tightlyldriven through the saidvrock-shaft 6 so that its lower end passesthrough the hole in the gudgeon pin. The said aperture 15, which also'serves -for filling the cylinder with uid, is afterwards closed bymeans of a screw-plug 16.

lThe-said arm 13,is positively secured to the rockshaft 6 by vascrew 17(Figure V4) which is screwed into the Vend of the rock-shaft and forcesa sliding pin 18 into a groove 1 9 around the upper end of ,the arm 13.1 a Y It `will be seen that as the external operating arm 9 is movedangularly, the piston 2 will be caused to reciprocate Within thecylinder and to -act upon the iiuid therein. To give the desired Imovement.

and thus the resistance oiered to the ow of the fluid through the saidpassage. The said plug may turn in a bush 23 screwed into an openingformed in the'wall of the cylinder, and the plug may be operated by aknob 24 on a spindle 25 carried by the plug. Instead of a rotary plug,however, any means for regulating 'or determining the effective size ofthe passage 20 may be provided. In the rear or right-hand end of thepiston 2 is an axial passage 26 adapted to cooperate with'a centraltaper peg 27 on the end cap 4, for a purpose hereinafter described. Thepassage 26 leads into a transverse passage 28 the opposite ends of whichlead into longitudinal recesses 29, 29, formed in opposite side walls ofthe piston, said recesses being isolated from the central slot 10. Atthe other endof the piston another transverse passage 30 is providedconnecting the two side recesses 29, 29, and from this transversepassage 30 two longitudinal passages '31, 31, of large bore lead to theend face of the piston. `Mounted upon this end face so as normally tocover the said longitudinal passages is a spring-pressed plate valve 32,while outside the area of this valve another longitudinal passage 33, ofsmall bore, leads into the said transverse passages 30 (seeFigure 3).There is another passage 34 leading from the central slot 10 to theleft-hand face of the piston, its end being normally closed by the valve32.

In operation, when the piston moves towards the left the valve 32maintains the passages 31 closed and fluid is forced through the passagev 20 in the "cylinder wall, and also through the small-bore passage 33whichis outside the Valve '32. Both passages 20 and 3,3 oierconsiderable resistance to the Viow of the fluid, thus giving thedesired damping action, and the resultant resistance to the flow may beregulated by means o the rotary plug 21. From the passage 20 the fluidpasses directlyinto the rear end of the cylinder, and from passage 33 itpasses through passage 30, siderecesses 29, passage 28 andthence throughaxial passage 26 into the rear end of the cylinder. When the pistonmoves towards the right the plate valve 32 opens, and the vfluidpassesfreely from the rear to the forward end being compelled to passthrough a progressively Ydecreasing orice.

The cylinder can be replenished with fluid from chamber 5, duringmovement of the piston to the right, Ythrough passage 34, the Valve y32opening during the said During thev forward or .damping stroke of thepiston this passage 34 is maintained closed by the valve.

n is to be understood that, with the cylinder being on the chassis andthe arm 9 connected Yto the axle, the piston 2 is normally in a midposition as shown in Figure 1, and when the vehicle wheel fallsrelatively to the chassis'the pistonrnoves to the left and sets up adamping action, while during the rising of the wheel,rboth dispensedwith, and the resistance obtained ensuch movement is offered until thepiston has nearly reached the end of its return stroke when a cushioningelect is obtained by the peg or projection 27 on the cylinder end cap,so as to prevent the wheel being lifted off the ground by reason of itsmomentum. Y Thedownward-movement of the wheel from its highest positionis then damped towards and beyond its normal position.

If desired, the passage 33 in the piston may be tirely by passage 20 andthe plug 21 or other' regulating device; or, alternatively, the passage2G may be dispensed with and the resistance obtained solely vby passage33 or by two or more similar passages in the piston.

1i desired, a recess or longitudinal passage 29 may be provided at oneside only of the piston; also, there may be only one passage 31 leadingfromtransverse passage 30 to the end of the piston. Having fullydescribed my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by LettersPatent isz- 1. A'shock absorber or vibration damper comprising ahuid-containing cylinder, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, arock-shaft, means for actuating the rockshaft, means for operativelyconnecting the rockshaft to theipiston, means whereby the piston isretarded during its entire length of stroke in one direction, meanswhereby the said'pi'ston has 105A a substantially unretarded movementduring its return stroke in the opposite direction until it approachesthe end of the said return stroke, and means whereby the movement of thevsaid piston is progressively cushioned or retarded 110 during the lastportion only of the said return stroke.

2. A shock-absorber or vibration damper comprising, in combination witha fluid-containing cylinder provided with a low-pressure lling chamberor reserve uid reservoir, a piston in the cylinderhaving a recess oropening communicating with the said lling chamber or reservoir andprovided with a longitudinal lateral passage isolated from said recessor opening and com- 520 municating at opposite ends with two transversepassages one of which is in communication with one end of the piston bymeans of an open 1ongitudinal passage while the other transverse passagecommunicates by a longitudinal passage 325 with the opposite end of thepiston, the said piston also having a passage from the recess to oneend, a rock-shaft, an'operating arm thereon engaging the recess oropening in the piston and operatively connected to said piston, aprojection on one end of the cylinder co-operating with the longitudinalpassage atl one end of the piston to give a progressive cushioningaction during movement of the piston towards the said end of thecylinder, valve means controlling the longitudinal passage at the otherend of the piston and also the passage from the recess so as to closesaid passages while the piston moves away from the end of the cylinderwhich is provided with the projection but opening the said passagesduring ffl-3 the return movement of the piston in the oppositedirection, and a resistance passage through which thev fluid is forcedby the piston to give a damping action when the piston moves in thedirection which causes the said valve to close.

3. A shock obsorber or vibration damper comprising, in combination witha 'Huid-containing cylinder provided with a low-pressure nlling chamberor reservoir; a piston in said cylinder; a rock shaft; an arm on saidrock-shaft operatively 50 is in communication with one end of thepistonA Connected tothe piston, said piston having a recess or openingengaged bysaid arm and com'- municating with the reservoir, apassagefrom lsaid recess or opening to one end of the piston,

and a longitudinal lateral passage isolated from said recess or openingand communicating at opposite ends with two transverse passages one'ofwhich isin communication With one end of the piston by means of an openvlongitudinal passage while the other communicates by a longitudinalpassage with the opposite end ofthe piston; a projection on one end ofthe cylinder co-operating with the open longitudinal passagey at one endof the piston to give a progressivecushioning action during movement ofthe piston towards the said end of the cylinder, a single springpressedplate valve mounted upon the end of the piston which is remotefrom thatwhich co-operates with the projection on the cylinder and adapted toclose the longitudinal passage at said end of the piston and also thepassage leading from the recess or opening in the piston during movementof the piston in one direction, but opening the said passages duringmovement in the opposite direction, and means whereby the piston isretarded by the iluid throughout its movement in the directionV in whichthe said valve closes the said passages. Y

4. A shock absorber or vibration damper comprising, in combination witha fluid-containing cylinder provided with a low-pressure reservoir andhaving a resistance passage in. its wall opening into opposite ends ofthe cylinder, a projection on one end of the cylinder extending axiallyinto the said cylinder, a rock shaft, an arm on `the rock shaft, apiston in the cylinder operatively connected to the arm and having arecess which is engaged by said arm and which communicates with thereservoir, said piston also having a longitudinal lateral passageisolated from said recess and communicating at opposite ends with twotransverse passages one of which by means of an open longitudinalpassage while the other communicates by a longitudinal passage with theopposite end of the piston, the said open passage co-operating with theprojection on the end oi thecylinderto give a graduallydiminishing'passage for the fluid and thus a progressive cushioningaction during movement oithe piston towards the said end of thecylinder, the piston also having a passage leading from the recess `init to the end of the piston remote from the end that co-operates withthe projection on the cylinder, and valve'means controlling the saidpassage from the recess and the longitudinal passage in the same end ofthe piston so as to close said passages during movement of the piston inone direction but opening said passages during reverse movement of thepiston.

5. A shock absorber orvibration damper comprising, in combination with afluid-containing cylinder provided with a low-'pressure filling chamberor reservoir, a projection on one end of the cylinder extending axiallyinto the cylinder,

. a rock shaft, an arm on the vrock shaft, a piston in the cylinderoperatively connected to the arm and having a recess which is engaged bysaid arm and which communicates with the reservoir, said piston alsohaving a `longitudinal lateral passage isolated from said recess andcommunicating at opposite ends with two transverse passages one of whichis in communication With one end of the piston by means of an openlongitudinal passage while the other communicates by a longitudinalpassage with the opposite end of the piston, the said open passageco-operating with A the cylinderand adapted to close the longitudinalpassage at-said end of the piston and also the passage leading from therecess in the piston Y during movement of the piston in one directionbut opening said passages during movement in the opposite direction, thesaid piston having a resistance passage in the said valve end outsidethe area of the valve and leading into one of the said transversepassages.

6. A shock-absorber or vibration damped comprising, in combination witha duid-containing cylinder, ya'piston therein, a chamber at one side ofand integral with the cylinder, forming a unit therewith, a rock-shaftcrossing the said chamber and having a transverse hole, one end beingsupported within a closed bearing recess in a solid or `unapertured sideof the chamber and the other end extending through a sleeve bearingextension of the chamber to the exterior, a gudgeon pin mounted on thepiston and having a transverse passage, and an operating arm engagingsaid passage inthe gudgeon pin and xedrwithin the transverse hole in therock-shaft, the cylinder and chamber unit having an opening with whichthe passage in the gudgeon pin and the mounted on the piston and havinga transverse Y passage a chamber integral with the cylinder to form aunit therewith, said chamber having an integral side wall provided witha closed bearing recess and also having a sleeve bearing extensionl onthe opposite side, a rock shaft crossing said chamber and having atransverse bore, one end being supported within the closed bearingrecess and the other end extending through the sleeve bearing to theexterior, an operating arm engaging the transverse passage of thegudgeon pin and engaging within the transverse bore in the rock-shaft tohold the latteragainstaxialdisplacement, said arm having an annularrecess situated in said hole, a securing pin member passing axiallythrough the rock shaft and engaging by its extremity Within said annularrecess in the arm, and a screw device screwing into the outer end of therock-shaft for retaining said pin member in engagement with the annularrecess.

FRANK SIDEBOTHAMRIPPINGILLE.V

